Nightmare
by xStealthxSniperx
Summary: A story of AU one-shots based off of Avenged Sevenfold's album 'Nightmare'.
1. Nightmare

**A/N**: So, my thought for this was to make a series of one-shots into a story...sort of. Like, all of the chapters will be a separate story, but they'll still be individual chapters of one whole story.

...I hope that made sense. XD

Something that I was working on in this was to be fairly descriptive. I'd like some feedback on that. :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves, and their music.

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><p><strong>Nightmare<strong>

Matt whistled cheerfully as he stepped out into the bright morning. The clear blue sky promised a positively gorgeous day, and he believed it when he was immediately blasted with a wall of warm air. But the weather did nothing to deter Matt's mood. If anything, it brought it higher. He had a good feeling about today. He wasn't sure why, but he just felt like everything was going right. This high would surely come crashing down later, but Matt was going to hang on until it did.

After checking his phone for any new messages, Matt hopped into his car. He was meeting up with his best friends: Brian, Jimmy, Johnny, and Zacky, at Jimmy's house. The plan revolved mostly around getting drunk, so it wasn't anything particularly special. Luckily, Jimmy only lived a few blocks from him, so within minutes, he had pulled into the driveway and was walking to the front door. The door was never locked, so Matt didn't have to worry about knocking. Instead, he barged in, only to be greeted by a terrifying sight.

Jimmy was home alright. But it looked like he hadn't moved since the night before. His skin was paler than normal; he strongly resembled a sheet of paper. Jimmy's body was resting in an awkward position. His neck was bent over the back of the chair he was sitting in, causing his spine to arch into a backward 'c'. With wide eyes, Matt stumbled forward. His breathing became shakier as he moved closer. His scrutiny became more detailed, and suddenly, he could see the blank look that dominated his eyes. Their usual electric blue was dulled into a hazy gray. Matt could see Jimmy's normally unruly ebony hair lying flat and lifeless against his forehead. His mouth was open slightly and from the silence, Matt knew he wasn't breathing; he probably hadn't in several hours.

Matt heard car doors slam outside, and the loud chatter of the others. He braced himself for the worst as he turned around and waited for them to come inside.

"Johnny, just admit it. You're jealous of the fact that I can already be semi-late, go pick up Zack, and still get here before you," Matt wondered how Brian would react when he saw Jimmy. The two had known each other since they were small children.

"By five seconds!" Johnny always had this deep connection with Jimmy. They always seemed to know what the other was thinking.

"But you admit that we beat you!" Then there was Zacky; the one who always had time for Jimmy. He never had anything to do, so he spent most of his time at either Jimmy or Brian's house.

Suddenly, the three men walked into the house, tearing Matt from his reverie. Their playful expressions dropped as their eyes flitted from Matt to Jimmy. Then they were all rushing toward the two.

"What happened?"

Matt flinched at their simultaneous screams. He opened his mouth, ready to explain his theories, but realized he couldn't speak. He watched as Zacky grasped at Jimmy's corpse, tears running down his cheeks. Brian was still questioning Matt fervently, even though every word he spoke cracked worse than the last. Johnny was just sitting on the couch next to Jimmy's chair, staring off into space. Anyone who wasn't looking properly would figure he didn't care about the whole ordeal, but Matt could see how tense he was; could see the way premature sobs wracked his tiny frame.

The four of them stayed there for what seemed like hours, until finally, Johnny called the hospital. The police and paramedics arrived shortly, making small work of the scene. The biggest problem they encountered was attempting to pull Zacky away from Jimmy's body.

This whole thing seemed unreal. They had been with Jimmy the night before. How could so much have happened in nine hours? The police escorted the four to the hospital, where the paramedics immediately began an autopsy.

While they waited, the four held each other, whispering comforting words every time a sob managed to escape someone. It didn't take long before an officer stepped up to them.

"I'm really sorry about your loss, boys. I can tell you were very close with James. The doctors say that he had an enlarged heart due to overexposure to alcohol. They think he had the equivalent of a heart attack. Luckily, he was asleep, so he felt no pain."

"Luckily?" Brian roared, "Our best friend is dead! How is that lucky?" he then crumpled into a broken heap on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

xxx

Matt jerked awake, his breathing heavy and tears streaming down his face. What was _that?_ It all seemed so real. He prayed to God that it wasn't, though. Matt shakily grabbed for his phone. He typed in the familiar numbers and pleaded silently to himself as he listened to the monotone ringing.

"Matt?" a sleepy voice answered.

Matt couldn't answer. His tears had increased in number. He held the phone away from his face as he gasped quietly, "Thank God."

It was only a nightmare.

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><p><strong>EDIT: <strong>All I did was change some spelling/grammatical errors. :P


	2. Welcome to the Family

**A/N: **I don't really like this chapter that much.

It's definitely happier than the last one, though. XD  
>Constructive criticism is appreciated! :)<p>

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.

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><p><strong>Welcome to the Family<strong>

Brian stared glumly out of his window. His gaze examined the unfamiliar neighborhood. He hated moving. Period. The fact that he had to make new friends, go to a new school, and learn his way around a whole new city just didn't sit well with him. They'd only been in Huntington Beach for two days. His room was already unpacked and arranged to his liking. That was one thing he didn't mind about moving. He enjoyed being able to move his room around how he wanted it.

Sighing, Brian moved to sit on his bed. He felt more than slightly stressed. He really wished he could be back in New York. Back home. That wasn't going to happen, though, and he knew it. Impulsively, he grabbed for his guitar. The thing was his most prized possession. His father had given it to him and taught him to play when he was younger, and now he was writing his own songs.

Without thinking, he started fiddling with a piece he had written long ago. It was one of the first, as well as one of the best. He smiled as the soft melody calmed his senses. When it came to a slow end, he set the instrument back on its stand and headed downstairs. The rest of his family was out at the grocery store, so he had the house to himself. Using this to his advantage, he sat himself at the piano. His long, nimble fingers slid across a few keys, and he knew what he wanted to play. He had recently started making a new song. So far he had only a few lines, but it _was _progress.

He dug through the papers underneath the seat cover and pulled out the draft music sheet and the lyrics. He set them in front of him and began to play, his voice melodic in the otherwise silent room.

"_There comes a day when we all find out for ourselves, that once we have the words to say there's no one left to tell. I know why you're running away."_

The song came to an almost awkward end. It was a good start, but it sounded just as incomplete as it was. He would definitely have to work on it some more.

Unfortunately, Brian got bored quite easily. Especially in the summer. He sighed and made his way outside. It was a warm day. There were no clouds, so the sun shone freely on everything. A light breeze kept the heat from becoming uncomfortable. Brian reached for a basketball and dribbled it a bit before tossing it at the hoop. A clean _swish _sounded and he smirked at the perfect shot.

Suddenly, Brian heard a loud bellow. He frowned in confusion and watched as a group of boys came charging around the block. They were all laughing and shouting, and seemed to be chasing the one in front. He was racing ahead of the others, carrying what looked like a football in his lanky arms.

Brian's eyes widened when the boy targeted him and changed his course. At the last second, he stepped to the side and shrieked as the boy slowed down and hid behind him.

The other boys were not far behind. They were soon all crowded around Brian, reaching for the first boy.

"Come on, Jimmy! You took the ball _way_ out of bounds!"

The first boy, Jimmy, cackled manically, holding the ball far above their heads. "That doesn't mean I'll accept defeat!"

Brian was still trapped in their small huddle, highly amused by their argument. After a few minutes, the two shorter boys gave up and flopped onto the grass. Their arms were simply just not long enough.

They grinned up at Brian, though, before introducing themselves. "I'm Zacky," the taller one announced, "This is Johnny."

The shorter one waved energetically and Brian laughed.

"I'm Brian," he replied.

Suddenly, an arm was wrapped around his shoulders and a voice spoke. "I'm Jimmy. The fun one in the group."

The last boy chortled, "I'm Matt. Don't listen to him. He's just smug that he won."

Brian nodded, "Sounds like a character."

The whole group erupted into laughter; the quick observation was spot-on.

xxx

After a few hours, Brian was already fast friends with the others. They were just like him. They even shared his passion for music. All four of them. They had all told Brian about their own abilities, and they had agreed to play together sometime.

Soon enough, Brian's parents arrived home, and they got ready to leave.

"It was awesome to meet you, man," Zacky patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, I can't wait to hear you shred!" Johnny struck a rocker pose and they all laughed.

"I'm excited, too," he admitted, "You guys sound like you're really good."

"Oh, we are," Zacky winked.

"In your dreams," Jimmy ruffled Zack's hair and glanced up when Brian's mom called him, "We'd better get going. See you soon."

Brian nodded with a small smile. Jimmy suddenly spun around before they got too far, though.

"Oh! Welcome to the family, brother!"

"The…the family?"

Matt chuckled, "You're a part of the family now. There's no getting out of it."

Brian chortled, "I think I can live with that."

After that, the other four departed. Brian couldn't help but explain proudly to his parents that he had already made four friends. He couldn't wait for their "practice" either. For some reason, the idea of playing with them seemed exhilarating. He was a part of their family now, and because of this, he couldn't help but smile like an idiot.

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><p><strong>EDIT: <strong>All I did was change a few spelling/grammatical errors. :P


	3. Danger Line

**A/N: **I lied. The last chapter wasn't the one I didn't like. It's this one. -facepalm-

I do not like how this one came out. I think it made Jimmy look like a sadistic psycho.

I have to say I like the detail. I tried for that, and that's the part I like. I don't know why, but writing stories from a war setting is harder. Harder to keep them in-character, I guess.

Constructive criticism is appreciated! :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.

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><p><strong>Danger Line<strong>

Zacky ducked behind the sturdy cover, wincing as the sound of bullets passed narrowly over his head. He slipped his gun over the top of the cover, blindly returning fire before wearily pulling back his weapon. He looked over to his comrade, seeing an almost manic grin on his face. He kept popping up every few seconds, taking out enemy soldiers one by one. This was Corporal James Sullivan, better known as Jimmy by his teammates. The man had a fondness for straying close to the hostiles. Staying _i__n _the fight is what he called it. He was more of an up-close person, which stumped Zack, who was a stay-back-and-try-to-be-patient kind of guy.

Suddenly, a large explosion deployed in front of the sandbag barrier. The grenade sent metal shrapnel flying in every direction. Unfortunately, the bomb caught Jimmy while he was standing, so most of the shrapnel grazed his skin or cut into his clothing. When he crouched down again, Zacky saw several shallow cuts marking his forehead and cheeks. The sight was slightly gruesome. Sweat, dirt, and blood covered his face, making him look like he had escaped from a fire. Zack supposed he didn't look much different, minus the blood, so he only shook his head.

"You're going to be the death of yourself, Jim."

Jimmy flashed him a toothy grin. He pressed a finger to his lips before peeking over the barrier. Seeing that it was clear, he dashed forward, sliding behind a piece of plywood mere seconds before a small cylinder came flying at Zacky. He realized what it was too late. A flashbang. Just as he remembered to duck, the grenade detonated, sending out a flash that blinded him momentarily. He heard a ringing in his ears as the white faded from his vision. When he looked up again, Jimmy was crawling toward the enemy's cover; a look of concentration dominating his features. Zack could only watch as the lanky man hopped gracefully over the barricade, kicking the tango's rifle out of his grip in the process.

Jimmy thrust his arm outward as the man stood, a metallic glint the only thing visible. The knife he was holding quickly met its mark, slashing through the soldier's throat with a sickeningly wet sound. Crimson exploded from the hostile's neck, splattering all over Jimmy. The man grasped at his neck with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe what just happened. Truth be told, Zacky didn't either. The whole area seemed to go silent, and Zacky swore he could hear the man's wheezing gasps before he abruptly crumpled; his wound still oozing blood.

Zacky shakily stood and stumbled to Jimmy. He forced himself not to look down as he muttered a small, "Area clear,". Even though he had been in the military for three years, the sight of blood still made him queasy.

Jimmy looked flushed and was breathing hard. Zacky knew the exhilaration he was feeling. Every soldier got it. It was the natural way their bodies reacted to killing someone.

The two set out again, making their way to the LZ. It looked like splitting the team up had been helpful. They had done so to minimize the enemy forces in the area more quickly, and it was obvious that it had been successful if tango-free travel was any indicator.

At one point, they did come across two enemy soldiers, both of which looked no older than seventeen, and reacted on instinct. Zacky merely pulled out his pistol, many years of training gathered into one shot that ended his victim's life. Jimmy, however, barreled forward, tackling the remaining hostile. The two wrestled for a moment and it almost appeared as if the tango might win. Zacky didn't interfere, though, knowing before it even happened that Jimmy would win. He always did.

And like always, he managed to grab hold of his knife. He quickly stabbed downward and the enemy soldier cried out as it sank into his thigh. Slowly Jimmy stood, pointing his M9 down at the soldier, who braced himself for the shot. Zack felt a stab of sympathy for the boy and cursed whoever had brainwashed him into enlisting at such a young age.

The shot rang out, clear and menacing. Small pieces of shattered skull fell to the ground, making meaningless mosaics in the blood around his head.

Zacky shook his head as they continued to the regroup site. Jimmy was now drenched in blood that was mostly not his. He smelled of iron; of rust, the odor billowing off of him like smoke.

Finally, they reached the LZ where Evac was waiting for them. They gratefully stumbled onto the helicopter, exhausted after another difficult mission.

Instead of winding down and taking a nap, Zacky opted for conversation.

"You were a beast out there, man."

Jimmy glanced at him with half-lidded eyes. "Thanks," he said simply.

Zacky chuckled dumbly, "You sure know how to get danger close, that's for sure."

"Dude, I get so close, I'm practically on the danger line," Jimmy joked.

"Danger line?" Zacky questioned.

Jimmy nodded, "Danger close on the front lines. The new word of the day."

Zacky frowned, "But isn't that two words?"

"Don't question me!" Jimmy laughed.

Zack shook his head, a fond smile gracing his lips. Despite his hatred for gore, he truly liked working with Jimmy, who basically thrived on it. He was laid-back and fun. And you never had to worry about failing a mission. Jimmy proved that to him every time.

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><p><strong>EDIT: <strong>All I did was change some spelling/grammatical errors. :P


	4. Buried Alive

**A/N**: I'm so sorry. -facepalm- This sucks so bad, I know. And it took forever for me to get it out, too. Sorry about that. XD

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.

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><p><strong>Buried Alive<strong>

"Remember; we need him alive."

Johnny grunted as a sign that he had heard. He pulled a ski mask over his head, making sure not to muss his dyed hair. He heard a snort beside him and turned to see his teammate Zacky smirk at him.

"It doesn't need to be perfect, pretty boy," he chuckled, "With any luck, this mission will be over with quickly."

"What, you aren't psyched for this one, Zee?" Brian, the second in command, asked.

Zack shrugged, "I'd rather be at home."

"It will be over soon. Then we'll be able to relax and not worry about being caught."

The three's heads turned toward the driver seat where their leader, Matt, sat. They nodded in agreement and went back to their business.

Being relatively new to the team, Johnny double-checked his silenced pistol. He remembered when, a few months prior, he had been working at a coffee shop. It wasn't his preferred job, but he had little money for much else.

Then he met Matt.

The man saved Johnny from being mugged, and when Johnny tried to repay him, Matt offered him a place on his team. Matt didn't really give much information about it, but after his first mission, Johnny was well aware of what they were.

Murderers.

Luckily the rest of the team accepted him easily. He became fast friends with Zack and Brian, who helped him overcome his nervousness with killing. Soon, he considered himself just as heartless as the other four.

A hand upon his own jerked Johnny out of his daze. He glanced up and saw Jimmy raise an eyebrow at him.

"You okay?"

Johnny realized he had been subconsciously twisting the suppressor on his weapon. He nodded quickly and grimaced as the older man turned around. Jimmy was the psycho on the team. He didn't act like it off-mission, but on-mission was an entirely different story. When he was calm, he didn't really open up. He wasn't rude or mean or anything, but he rarely spoke. Johnny worked his hardest to get emotion out of him, usually in the form of praise, but Jimmy only ever regarded him with a blank stare.

Soon, they arrived at their destination; a large, quaint house. It was painted light yellow and a white picket fence surrounded the property. The lawn was cleanly cut; the bushes neatly pruned.

It made Johnny's blood run cold.

He had been debriefed hours ago, and his shock level was back to normal, but here laid one of his friend's houses. He apparently found out who Johnny was working with and what they were doing. They were disposing of him before he said something that was better left secret.

Johnny tried to keep his anxiety down as they silently approached the house. He averted his eyes from the familiar mailbox when they passed it. He knew he might lose his will if he saw the _Ilejay _painted on the side. He saw Matt give him a small thumbs up as he picked the lock; something he had done the past several times now.

Johnny paused when he heard the signature _click_ of the door unlocking. He quickly slipped inside, the others following right behind. Navigating through the familiar halls, he felt guilt eat at his insides. When they reached the master bedroom, Johnny motioned for Jimmy to go inside. It had been originally planned that Matt, Jimmy, and Brian, the strongest of the five, collect the target, and have Zacky and Johnny guard the door.

Johnny found he preferred this plan when the sound of his friends struggling began.

"What the – Who are you? What do you want?"

After that, the man's questions were cut off. He had been gagged. When he was carried out of the room, the man struggled even harder at the sight of Johnny and Zack. Fortunately, the masks hid their faces.

Soon enough, they had the man secured and were heading off again. Though tied up, the man sat and glared at them, as if daring them to touch him. Eventually, they reached a field a few miles out of town. Brian sent a sinister grin in Jimmy's direction as they unloaded.

Johnny shook his head at their eagerness; their bloodlust, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Arin."

Arin seemed to have heard. "How do you know my name?"

His expression was scared, almost as if he knew the answer. Johnny didn't acknowledge him as he climbed out of the van. He tried to block out Arin's indignant cries when Matt pulled him out, but was unsuccessful for the most part.

Jimmy took Arin from Matt's grasp. "Don't worry; this will all be over soon," he growled into the smaller man's ear. Arin slightly pulled at his restraints as Jimmy led him to a large hole in the dirt. It was human-sized and the sight of it made Johnny nauseous.

"Are you alright, Jay?"

Johnny started at Zacky's tentative voice. He turned to his friend with a dismal expression and pondered Zack's question. _Was _he alright? Would he ever be alright after this? Arin was one of his best friends. They had shared so much. Was he ready to give that up?

"I'll be fine."

The answer was obvious. Even if he tried to save Arin, his past crimes would eventually be brought to the surface. One right wouldn't make up for all of his wrongs.

Zack patted his back soothingly and watched the events unfold. By now, Arin had realized what the hole was for and his writhing had increased ten-fold. They were far enough away from the city that no one could hear Arin's screams, so they had removed his gag.

Johnny watched as Jimmy wrestled the smaller man into a wooden box, his emotions too powerful to be contained, and a tear stained his mask. Brian handed Jimmy a cover and stepped back as Jimmy's animalistic side took over. He quickly nailed the box together and knocked on some of the sides, taunting Arin. Even from so far away, Johnny could hear his muffled cries of desperation.

He averted his gaze when Matt assisted Jimmy in lowering the box into the ground and Brian began yelling pointless insults and threats at Arin. Zacky draped an arm around Johnny's shoulders, a poor attempt at trying to comfort the small man.

xxx

A few hours later, Johnny was feeling a little calmer. His mask still hadn't completely dried, but his tears had ceased. The other three had just finished covering the box with dirt and were making their way toward Zack and Johnny.

Jimmy stretched sleepily before exclaiming, "And that's why you keep yourself out of other people's business."

While the other three cheered in agreement, Johnny flinched. He now knew how true that statement was.

"Nice job tonight, Jay," _Was that Jimmy speaking? _"I honestly didn't think you had it in you. You proved me wrong, though, and I'm proud of you."

So that's what it took. Earning Jimmy's approval took watching your friend get buried alive. A flash of pride washed over Johnny, though he was bewildered and ashamed. He finally had Jimmy's praise, after months of working for it. But he couldn't help but ask himself; was it really worth it?

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><p><strong>EDIT: <strong>All I did was change a few spelling/grammatical errors. :P


	5. Natural Born Killer

**A/N: **Well, I promised someone I'd get this out before New Years, and here it is! Surprisingly, I actually like this one. My 3-chapter streak of dislike is finally at an end. :P Just so you know, I was thinking that the console they were using was an Xbox 360. It could have been a Play Station, but I don't play those and have no idea how they're set up. But that's why I chose not to say that directly.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves, and their music. Nor do I own Call of Duty, Gears of War, or Halo, which belong to Treyarch/Infinity Ward and Activision, Epic Games, and Bungie, respectively.

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><p><strong>Natural Born Killer<strong>

"So what game are we playing?"

Matt looked up at his friend Jimmy, who plopped onto the couch beside him.

He shrugged, "Doesn't matter to me."

"You should play Call of Duty!" They both turned toward the kitchen, where a tall, tanned male with spiked dark brown hair stood with a bottle of beer. Beside him, a shorter, paler man with glossy black hair leaned against the counter.

"Brian," Matt groaned, referring to the first man, "We _always _play Call of Duty."

"So?" he retorted, "We _always_ manage to have fun, too."

The shorter male beside him chuckled and received a glare from Matt. "You aren't helping, Zacky."

Before Zacky had a chance to defend himself, Jimmy cut in, "No, man. I'm game."

Matt sighed, "Fine. We can play Call of Duty."

The other three cheered, drawing a small smile from Matt. He quickly started up the game and handed Jimmy a controller. After taking his seat again he realized something.

"Where's Johnny?"

"He's out doing errands," Zack called out, "Said he'd be over soon."

Brian snorted, "He literally said errands?"

"Something like that, yeah," Zacky shrugged.

Jimmy cackled as the TV's screen divided into two parts, signaling that the match was starting. Matt straightened his posture and wet his lips in anticipation. He often complained about their constant playing of the game, but he couldn't deny the thrill it gave him. Brian's words were true; they _did _have fun.

The match started off fine. Jimmy got the first kill, sneaking up on a camping player and quick-scoping with his sniper rifle to get a one-shot kill. He smirked in satisfaction at that. He was very good at sniping. In fact, Matt had once had the misfortune of being on the opposite team while Jimmy was sniping. After that match, he practically _demanded _that Jimmy always be on his team.

As the match progressed, Jimmy's kills stacked up. Matt growled when he looked at the scores and saw that he had only three kills. Two minutes later, the match ended, showing Jimmy's last kill. Some random enemy player was running by his hiding place and he took aim. The kill-screen slowed down as the cross-hairs lined up perfectly with the players head. A shot rang out, sending an explosion of blood in every direction. The ending scores then appeared on the screen, showing that Jimmy had gotten twenty-nine kills and two deaths.

Brian and Zacky cheered at his triumph, but Matt scowled. Wanting to try something, he backed out of the game and went back to the console's dashboard.

"Let's play some Gears of War now."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. They both knew he had never played the game before, so Matt quickly explained the controls. Just as he finished, the door opened and a short man with a large mohawk walked into the living room. He was carrying a plastic grocery bag filled with what looked like snacks.

"It's Johnny-boy!" Brian exclaimed, wasting no time in taking his bags. He took out the contents, smiling widely when he saw chips and salsa.

Johnny grinned and made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a beer for himself. There was never a shortage of it at Matt's house.

Jimmy impatiently grabbed Matt's controller and started up the multiplayer. Matt chuckled and snatched it back. Then he started up a match and went over the controls again as it loaded.

Soon the match was in session and Matt was killing left and right. Jimmy seemed to be struggling to figure out how to play, and Matt savored the temporary dominance he held. After dying three times without killing anyone, Jimmy got the hang of the controls. He walked up behind an unsuspecting player and used his chainsaw lancer to tear him in half. Jimmy chortled at the bloody remains and continued, killing at least ten more people before the match was over. Matt stared blankly at the screen for a few moments then blinked a few times.

"How are you so good at this?"

The others stifled laughter as he went to the console's dashboard again and stormed over to find another game.

"Halo this time," he said darkly.

Jimmy saluted him, "Yes, sir!"

Matt quickly started up another match, eager to win this silent, unofficial feud.

As always, Jimmy annihilated the match. Matt had picked a setting with no teams; a free-for-all, and it seemed like every two seconds he was either stabbed by some random player, or sniped by Jimmy. By the end of the match, he was fuming.

Jimmy shuffled next to him, looking innocently at him from under his batting eyelashes.

"You...you are-"

Johnny interrupted Matt, "A natural born killer!"

The other two laughed in agreement. Matt sighed, releasing his anger. "That you are," he confirmed slowly.

Jimmy set his controller down, "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

Matt chuckled, "I suppose so. Just go easier on me the next time we play, okay?"

"No can do, man!" Jimmy cackled.

Matt groaned. Why did he put up with this?


	6. So Far Away

**A/N: **I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I kind of like it, but I feel like I over-dramatized the emotion. Eh, I don't know.  
>I don't know how long I stared at the lyrics to this song on my iPod, figuring out which verses I wanted in the story and how to morph them in to sound good. Let me know what you think of it. I'd like to know if I'm actually <em>any<em> good at song-type stories. :P  
>I don't know if McKenna iswas in dance or not, and I was a tad bit too lazy to check it out.  
>Sorry this took so long to get out, and that it's so crappy! It took a while to get my procrastinating ass off of Skyrim so I could write this. But you can still boo and hiss and me for the lateness. :B<p>

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves, and their music.

**Dead Punk- **Thanks so much! I was kind of tired of the sad/angsty chapters, so I figured I'd make that one sort of playful. I'm sure everyone wasn't expecting it. XD

* * *

><p><strong>So Far Away<strong>

Brian carefully dialed the unfamiliar numbers. They were so foreign to him and he wished they hadn't changed. Brian pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the ringing as he thought about a few days prior. Jimmy was still in the city then, and life was good. The two best friends feared nothing; though they were never completely free from their families or from school, they were never chained down with responsibilities and worries. They spent practically _all _of their time together.

Brian was devastated when Jimmy told him they were moving. _"To Huntington Beach," _he said. That was on the other side of the country! How could Brian live without the ones he loved? His parents thought the world of him, but work constantly kept them from home. His father, Brian Senior, was always either at the studio or one of his comedy performances, and his mom (or rather, his step-mother), Suzy, had her hypnosis shows several times a week. Brian's sister, McKenna, looked up to him as her idol, but she was needed regularly for dance classes and recitals. Jimmy was really the _only _one there for him. Then, just like that; just a single job offer with better pay, his father was moving them all the way to California.

"Brian?" A voice from the other end of the line startled the young man from his reverie.

"I miss you," he blurted out.

He heard a soft chuckle. "I miss you, too. Not a day goes by that I don't regret moving."

"Diddo," Brian agreed. "Will you stay away forever?" he asked after a moment's pause.

"I don't know," Jimmy sighed. "I hope not. You know, the place and time we meet at the park is always on my mind. It's hard to force myself to stay inside the house instead of going to the river and finding you."

Brian chuckled. The memories wrenched his heart with nostalgia, but he still loved to recall them. They reminded him of the normalcy he and Jimmy once shared.

"Remember when we told our parents we were going to become werewolf ninjas?" Brian asked with a smile.

"Or when we said we'd outlive bugs?"

The two burst into laughter. Their childhood dreams seemed so foolish now. When they regained the ability to speak, Brian realized something.

"I guess our perfect chapter has been laid to rest, hasn't it?"

"That doesn't mean I'll forget it, though. Every now and then, I'll try to find a place in my mind where I can stay awake _forever."_

Brian grinned, "Then we can be telepathic insomniacs!"

"Exactly!" Jimmy exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

For a moment, the line was comfortably silent. Then Jimmy was apologizing. "Sorry, I have to go. My mom needs me to go to the store with her."

Brian shook his head as if Jimmy could see him. "Oh, no. It's fine. I'll just talk to you later."

"Is that a promise?"

"More like a threat," Jimmy chuckled and said goodbye.

The second Brian put down the phone, a wave of loneliness washed over him. There was much more he wanted to say, but Jimmy was just _so far away... _Brian heard someone shuffle into the house and lifted his head to see his father.

"Hey, kiddo," Brian Senior ruffled his son's hair on his way to the kitchen. The teenager said nothing. No _"How was your day?" _or _"How are you feeling?"_, just a simple greeting.

Brian sighed and headed up to his room. He gazed out of his window down into the familiar neighborhood. The trees, the grass, the houses; they were all the same. Then he became aware of something. Life _would _go on, and he _would _see Jimmy again.

_You can sleep tight now, Jimmy, because I'm not afraid anymore. Nature survives these things, these _changes_ every day, and they still live and thrive. If they can do it, so can I. The ones I love that are here can help my grief, even if minutely. But save a place for me, because as soon as I'm done, with school and life's problems, I'll be on my way to you. Though it's hard to stay, your light remains, and I'll see you again when He lets me. The pain is strong and urges arise, but I need you to know; I love you._


	7. God Hates Us

**A/N: **I know, I know. This didn't get out as quickly as I would have liked. Sue me. XD  
>The way this was supposed to go was have the things they do set out in order. Johnny's was the least fatal, breaking a friendship, Zacky's was in the middle, making someone lose their job, and Jimmy's was the worse, tampering with love.<br>This ended up turning out a _lot_ longer than I first expected, which is also why it took so long to get out. The other reason was because my piccolo got stolen, and I just wasn't in the mood to write. I've gotten it back, though, so we're all good. :3  
>The characters who weren't from Avenged belong to me...or rather, the internet. I just looked up random first and last names and placed them together. Nikki isn't very creative. ;A;<br>I really hope this is liked! I don't mean to offend anyone in any way with this. I'm not Satanic in any way, just tampering with the idea of writing from a demon-point of view. It's been in my head for a while, and I might just make more if it's accepted well enough. C:

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves, and their music.

**Dead Punk**- Well, I'm glad that you find them funny! That chapter was pretty angsty (which I'm really glad you like :D), so I figured I'd add_ some_ humor. I would never be offended at being called a stallion duck. It made my night when I read that! I'm really glad you're liking the story thus far, and hope this meets your standards, too. ;)

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><p><strong>God Hates Us<strong>

The sound of the news drifted lightly throughout the quiet house. Two reporters swapped news back and forth, somberly announcing the day's calamities; a man whose beachfront property was flooded, a teenage girl who broke her neck at cheerleading practice, a distraught father whose son had run away. Each report was tragic, but Zacky found them simply amusing.

The light softly emanating from the TV caused shadows to dance in the sparsely lit room. The window shades were hastily drawn shut, leaving only the glow of the sunlight that trickled in through the cracks. Occasionally, a slight breeze would filter in through the open window, causing the dark shade to allow more of the sun's rays inside. Zacky hissed indignantly each time one of the beams met his alabaster skin, insulted that the light had the nerve to touch him.

As he continued to watch the program, Zack scoffed at the humans' priorities. They were worried about petty storms and insignificant dilemmas, when they should be fretting over the individuals who roamed the streets; they were the biggest threat.

Something rustled behind him. "Disappointing, isn't it?" a silky voice mused in disinterest. Zacky didn't turn, but a smirk tugged at the edges of his full lips.

"You know, Jimmy, you really should knock."

He heard a small laugh, and Jimmy's lanky body flopped on the the couch, "It's difficult when you're literally appearing out of nowhere.

Zack turned to the other man; he hadn't changed. Unruly jet black hair that framed his pale face, onyx eyes, usually so cruel and heartless, gazing playfully back at him, and thin, jagged fangs that poked out from behind his smiling lips. He was the epitome of a demon. Even his clothes, dark and ripped, gave him the appearance of having just come from Hell, and he had.

"How has work been?" Zacky asked. Jimmy worked as the devil's assistant, a huge honor among demons. So few of them were chosen to stay in Hell, and fewer still, those who were able to work alongside their leader.

Jimmy shrugged nonchalantly, "Same as usual. We pick out targets, plot their demise, and put our plans into action," A sinister grin placed itself on his lips, "It's fun to watch."

Zacky nodded, "I'm sure. You have good plans for tonight?"

The other's smile turned utterly wicked. Zack smirked; the havoc Jimmy wreaked never disappointed.

A new presence suddenly exposed itself, revealing a tall, muscular man. His facial appearance was similar to Jimmy's; dark hair, black eyes, and razor sharp fangs. All demons had these features. The whole room had a slightly dismal feel now. This man's job was to torture humans and discipline them as he saw fit. He was sadistic, to say the least.

"Hello, boys," the man greeted. His voice was menacing, frightening almost, and little echoes made it reverberate all round them. Jimmy's voice was the same way, as was Zacky's.

"Matt. It's good to see you," Zacky patted the space between himself and Jimmy. Matt gladly sat down, sighing in relief as the cushions enveloped his large frame. Humans were a handful, so his job was usually very tedious and stressful.

"Where are the other two?" Matt asked once he was situated. "They aren't usually late."

Mere seconds later, the door flew open. The three demons snarled at the sudden burst of light, and blinked furiously when it retreated as fast as it had come. Two figures now stood in the entryway. They looked plain; human, but that didn't stop them from strutting pompously to the others.

"I feel so important," the shorter once announced. "Someone was _actually_ wondering where I was!"

The taller one scoffed, "Oh please, Johnny. We all know it was _me_ they were asking about."

The two glanced at the others as they spoke, smiling at the amusement of their bickering. It was obvious they were comfortable in the dim house with the three demons.

"What's with the human guise?" Jimmy asked, raising a slender eyebrow.

Johnny shrugged, "We felt like screwing with you."

Matt grunted, unimpressed, "Hmph. You guys are ass-"

"Let's get this show on the road!" Brian interrupted impatiently. Without waiting for a reply, he stiffened, his whole body going completely rigid. He shuddered slightly and groaned as his body transformed. His lithe muscles became more defined and powerful, his feathery, spiked, dark brown hair became sleeker and more glossy. His chocolate colored eyes dropped down several shades until they were pure ebony, and his teeth grew thinner and closer together, gleaming sharply in the meager light. After so long in his human faҫade, his demonic features had become cramped and irritated. It felt _fantastic_ to let everything loose.

"Ahhh. Better," Brian rolled his shoulders and looked over at Johnny. The shorter man had also completed his transformation and was stretching contentedly. The others were already heading out the door, eager to start their little game.

The five demons would meet up once a month and terrorize the humans. During the time in between their gatherings, they would study someone, find their weaknesses, and plan for their ruin.

"I'm up first," Johnny announced as they walked. He quickly led them to a nearby middle school where kids were running around, releasing their post-lunch energy. Johnny pointed to a small group of friends sitting by a tree close to the building. There were two girls and a guy.

"Bailey Lombardi and Ashleigh Williams; best friends, but that's close to changing. Ashleigh is hanging out with a group of cheerleaders that Bailey hates. It's made their relationship _pretty_ rocky, and I'm gonna shatter what's left," Johnny held up an envelope that had Bailey's name on it in a neat cursive scrawl. He then dashed off into the school. The others followed languidly; they weren't in a hurry. Not even when they bell pealed shrilly and every child piled in through the single door. They didn't have to worry about being seen either; demons had the benefit of invisibility.

When they reached Johnny, they saw Bailey opening her locker. They joined the small man beside a wall as the envelope drifted to the ground. She picked it up and stared at if for a moment, then tentatively tore it open. She read the letter inside slowly, and the five demons watched with grim pleasure as her tranquil expressions changed to confusion, then hurt, and finally rage. She crumpled the letter into a tight ball before throwing it into her locker, grabbing her books, and storming off to her next class.

Johnny sent the others a malicious grin, which they returned, and followed her. For the next couple hours, they waited. Then they watched, giddy, as Bailey approached Ashleigh, letter in hand, after school.

"You stupid bitch!" she shrieked. "I knew those preps were messing with your head!"

Ashleigh stared at her with wide eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"You know _damn_ well what I'm talking about! Don't ever fucking speak to me again; I won't answer," Bailey thrust the crinkled letter into Ashleigh's arms, then marched away. The boys left then, laughing breathlessly, as Ashleigh called for Bailey to come back.

"That was some good stuff," Jimmy praised, his breath still slightly ragged.

Johnny beamed, pride dancing lightly in his tawny irises, "Who's next?"

Zacky lifted a hand, "Guilty."

He quickly advanced to a company workplace. As they maneuvered into the building, Zack explained the situation. "We have ourselves Jason Moore; a two month employee with a perfect record," they slipped into an elevator and Zacky pressed they button for the third floor. "That's about to change."

A few employees gave each other puzzled looks when the shaft opened. The five demons briskly set out toward a cubicle at the far end of the room. A scrawny man sat precariously on the edge of his seat, staring at his monitor intently. His dirty blond hair was neatly combed back, and his attire was spotless.

Zacky placed a transparent hand on Jason's shoulder, and the man immediately tensed. Then he pushed away from the desk, knocking Zack's hand off. He stalked over to the next cubicle.

"You know, I just realized something." The five moved over to hear better. "The boss is a total dick."

The other employee snapped her wide-eyed gaze up to him.

"What?" he shrugged. "It's true. All he does is sit behind his damn desk and yell at us to 'do our work'."

The other employee, whose nametag read "Mina", stayed silent. Eventually Jason left. The demons followed, snickering to themselves, and the human led them to yet another cubicle. This continued for about an hour before Jason was called to the boss' office.

"Jason, Bethany came to me about five minutes ago saying you were talking about me behind my back. Is this true?"

A bored expression met his question, "Well, duh."

The boss sighed wearily, "You should know that there will be consequences. I will not tolerate rude behavior and false rumors. If it continues, those consequences will become more severe."

Jason barked out a harsh laugh, "Hell. You might as well fire me. I'm not going to stop speaking my mind."

"Very well. You're fired, Mr. Moore."

Jason smirked, "Have a nice day, asshole," He slammed the door behind him on his way out, leaving a very confused boss and a group of demons who were practically rolling on the floor will laughter. This time, the amusement lasted a lot longer. Jason would storm out of the building in a rage, and come home, his normal self, with the realization that he had been fired.

Brian sent Zacky a soft smile, "Priceless."

Zacky returned his grin, "Thanks, man. What do _you_ have for us this time?"

"I've got nothing for this month, but" Brian sent a curious glance in Jimmy's direction, "I think Jimbo does."

The mentioned man nodded quickly, brushing his raven fringe away from his face. They had walked out of the building several minutes ago and were just jovially ambling down the street. Mayhem never failed to put them in a good mood.

Jimmy pointed to an extravagant restaurant across the street. A couple sat by the window, dining and chatting lightly. The boys sidled up to the building to inspect further.

"We have ourselves one Mister Christopher Anderson with his stunning girlfriend, Miss Susan Scott. He plans to woo her with dinner and drink at the most luxurious place in town," Jimmy paused to usher the four inside. "The proposal comes next, I'm sure you've guessed. Susan thinks she's found the perfect man in Christopher, but we're going to show her how wrong she is, tonight."

Matt chuckled and took a seat at an empty table nearby. Jimmy motioned for the others to do the same, then stepped forward. Susan was gushing about some adorable Border Collie puppy she had seen earlier that day. Christopher was listening to her with rapt attention, leaning forward, smiling, and nodding in all the right places. Suddenly, his expression went blank and he slumped forward. Then he straightened up and brushed himself off before Susan could comment; not that she had noticed.

"Full-on possession," Johnny mused. "Very nice."

"There are a lot of humans to practice on in Hell," Matt chuckled with a wink.

After a few more minutes of Susan mainly talking to herself, their meal was finished and if was go time.

"Susie," Christopher got down of one knee beside the table. "I've been thinking lately."

Susan couldn't suppress the excited glint that appeared in her shining silver eyes. "About what?" she asked, trying and failing to keep the quiver out of her tentative voice.

Christopher smiled slightly, and only the demons saw the malice that lightly lined the edges of it. "You and me; we've been together for a while now. I still remember meeting you for the first time and thinking, 'Wow. She'd never go for a guy like me.' But here we are today."

Susan squirmed a bit in her seat. Christopher's little speech held no flaw. Susan didn't even question it. She had already suspected what his next few words would be, and waited anxiously as he took his time.

"Susie, I've been thinking a _lot_ about our futures, and I decided out life should be going down a different road," he pulled out a small box and set it on the table. "This little box's contents represent my love for you."

"Awww, Chrissy!" Susan squealed, wrapping her fragile arms around Christopher's neck and pecking his lips. Christopher never once broke out of character, even when she kissed him. Each one of the other demons grimaced in distaste, clutching at their own lips in horror.

"That shit is nasty," Zacky muttered under his breath. It wasn't that Susan was appalling, quite the opposite in fact. She had beautiful golden hair and a slim, fit body. Her features were attractive and she wore expensive, good-looking attire. No, it was her personality that repulsed the four. She as happy, and energetic, and acted like a teenage girl. She talked too much about random things and interrupted when someone spoke. She looked nice and smelled nice, but reality showed a complete bimbo.

Christopher watched intently when Susan eagerly grabbed for the box and all but ripped it open. Her face fell when she saw its contents. Turning the box to Christopher, she pouted as if there was a mistake, "It's empty."

Christopher's honey brown eyes had turned cold and his smile a thin line. "Exactly," he snapped harshly. "The path I was thinking about obviously wasn't the same as yours. I've seen how selfish and conceited you are. You spend ours in front of a mirror, slathering on makeup and perfume and walk away looking like a cheap whore. You go to the store and buy everything for yourself," Christopher's eyes narrowed and his voice lowered further. "Everything has to be about _you_, and I'm sick of it."

Susan openly gaped. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over before she could do anything about it. "I thought you loved me," she whimpered pathetically.

Christopher scoffed, "I told you. The box represented how much I love you."

Susan took a deep breath, though her tears hadn't ceased, "Does that mean we're through?"

Christopher snorted, though not from amusement, and called out as he walked away, "Figure it out yourself, dumbass."

The other four demons followed the possessed man, chortling scornfully. They soon reached a plain apartment. Christopher abruptly collapsed, and a mist-like substance rose out of his body. The mist then solidified into Jimmy, and the four patted him on the back. Once again, the man had amazed them; he deserved some praise for the show he put on.

"Absolutely flawless," Brian grinned.

"I couldn't believe how shit-for-brains that chick was. Fuckin' awesome job," Matt laughed.

Jimmy took the praise with a toothy smile, "Thanks, guys. I've been planning this one for months."

"I don't doubt it," Zacky murmured. "That one was _really_ thought out."

Jimmy shrugged, "Do we have a show from Matty-boy tonight?"

The demon smirked, "It's a little late, so we'll just end with your feat this time, Jim-Jam. Just...check the news tomorrow morning, around ten."

And so they did. Matt left immediately after speaking and Jimmy wasn't far behind, though he actually left with a goodbye. Johnny, too, left, muttering something about a very large burrito with his name on it. This left Brian and Zacky, who noted _not_ to hang out with the short man any time soon. The two headed over to Brian's place and watched lame horror movies for a while. Then they finally crashed, not waking up until Zack's alarm went off. He jerked awake on the couch, tripping over Brian and landing on him in his haste to turn off the noise. Brian shrieked from his rude awakening and waited until the alarm was off before pushing the other man off of him.

Zacky cursed at him under his breath and turned on the TV. He switched it over to the news and flopped back down beside his best friend. A news reporter was talking about some major bank robbery in Los Angeles, but at exactly ten, another reporter came on-screen.

"_At midnight last night," _he spoke loudly into the microphone, "_police were called to a field close to a skydiving warehouse. A man by the name of Gregory Macrae was found dead, having jumped out of the plane and not even attempting to activate his parachute. A fellow skydiver tells us that he was acting strange before the jump, and afterward knew why. After checking Macrae's clothing, police found a suicide note explaining his actions. Further investigation led to interviews with family and friends, who said he'd never had suicidal thoughts or attempts-"_

The TV clicked off. Brian sat with the remote in his hand and a sly grin on his face, "Matt, you naughty demon. Inducing suicidal thoughts?"

"I would never have guessed," Zacky finished.

The two began laughing. Their little game had had some great results, and they were in an _awesome_ mood.

Zack had realized something long ago. Their game usually led to some pretty sad stuff, at least by human standards, and almost every time they were successful. A Christian missionary had once approached them, speaking to them about how God could save them from their sins. They figured he had done so because of their piercings, tattoos, and otherwise "punk" demeanor. Zacky had been tempted to spit back in his face, "It's too late for us to be saved. God hates us." He didn't say it at the time, but he knew it was true. With all of the shit they did, it was impossible for God _not _to hate them. But he took a look at his friends, hell, his _family_ more like it, and knew it would just be _weird_ if it were any other way.


	8. Victim

**A/N:** I don't think I really made this very clear, but this chapter takes place over a number of years, not over a short amount of time.  
>And I know Jimbo's parents haven't died, but so that his father had an "excuse" besides alcohol to abuse him, I had his mother die.<br>How's this for happy?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves, and their music.

**Dead Punk-** Aw shucks. You're too kind. :) It's cool. I can't say I'm not random myself, so it sounds like we're on the same page. Screw accounts, of course we can be friends! Good taste in music, my friend. Megadeth rocks.

**Kumani Arentoi- **Even though I made you cry, I'm really glad that you're liking this. It makes me feel wayyy better about my writing when people can feel the emotions I'm trying to dish out. Especially when I read it over, think to myself "What is this, I don't even...", and then post it anyway. Call me lazy, it's true, lol. I literally just used some of the games I play, aren't I original? I don't think it's bad. I quite like that chapter, too, though I think this one makes it as my favorite. I'm in to dark, angsty things, too. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)

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><p><strong>Victim<strong>

A melody drifted through the cemetery. It was played with a passionate softness that deepened the anguish; the despair that hung in thick clouds throughout the grounds. It was melancholy at its finest. Johnny acknowledged the haunting music with a single tear; the first he had shed through the whole service. He was trying to stay strong; to be happy and grateful for his best friend's life. Oh, how he was. But the music was making his façade crumble.

Johnny remembered his friend's past sufferings, and, thinking back on it, the day those sufferings were brought to light.

_The day was coming to a close. The warm summer sun was glowing brightly over the horizon, sinking slowly beneath the waves. The wind whispered merrily over the cooling sand. Johnny sighed, content. Days like these were the best; the made him feel relaxed. And the beach provided its own little isolated spa._

_Johnny sighed again, this time in annoyance. He could hear someone quickly approaching, their breath coming in erratic gasps. Johnny lifted his head and gazed at the teenager who collapsed beside him, chest heaving and sweat dripping from his chin._

"_Jimmy?" Johnny murmured gently, placing a tentative hand on the other's shoulder blade. "Are you alright?"_

_It wasn't uncommon for Jimmy, or any of their other friends, to randomly appear at their self-proclaimed "spot", but no one had planned to hang out that evening. Beside that, Jimmy was acting strangely._

_The other boy's head snapped up and met Johnny's concerned stare. Suddenly the sweat splashing onto the crystalline sand was coming from Jimmy's eyes, usually so playful and bright._

_He was_ crying.

_Immediately, Johnny's arms wrapped around Jimmy's shoulders. The latter buried his face in Johnny's neck and gripped his shirt tightly. A few strong sobs wracked Jimmy's tall, lanky body, and for a long time they stayed like that. Finally, when the sun was swallowed up by the sea and the moon had risen to take its place, they pulled apart. Jimmy's sobs had faded and left him with a forlorn expression._

"_Sorry for ruining your shirt," Jimmy whispered._

What? _"Do you really think I would worry about a stupid shirt at a time like this?"_

_The taller boy let his head drop against his chest. Johnny's eyes softened and he lifted Jimmy's chin slowly, "Hey, what's wrong?"_

_Those sad blue eyes studied him for a moment before "Do you think I'm a screw up?" blurted from his lips._

_Johnny frowned, "What?"_

"_Do you think that I am a screw up?"_

"_Of course I don't! Why would you even ask that?" Johnny was frightened; Jimmy never acted like this._

_Another long moment passed before Jimmy responded, "Because my dad kept repeating it while he gave me these." He carefully pulled his shirt off. Johnny gasped. Bruises, both new and old, some just blooming in purple and others fading out in a sickly yellow, littered Jimmy's chest, stomach, and abdomen._

Johnny shuddered. That was the day he had found out Jimmy's father abused him. He had instantly tried to take him to the police, but Jimmy refused and begged Johnny not to make it worse. He had agreed then, albeit reluctantly, but now he realized he should have done so anyway.

A few more tears slipped down Johnny's cheeks at the memory. The song was still playing. The song that _Jimmy_ had written himself. The man sitting behind the piano playing the piece with gorgeous precision was one of Johnny and Jimmy's best friends; Matt Sanders. With every beautiful transition, every stunning tempo and dynamic change, every note that screamed "Jimmy", Johnny knew Matt was honoring their lost friend in the only way he knew how; through music.

Another memory presented itself, this one a little more horrifying.

_The night was dark and loud with the sound of insects, and Johnny found himself resting on the old oak tree in his backyard. He was feeling sleepy and the thought of heading inside crossed his mind just as a large _thump_ sounded by their gate. Johnny was immediately on his feet, cautiously making his way to the source of the noise._

_He saw a figure hunched over in the darkness, and as he drew nearer, it let out a strangled whimper, "Johnny..."_

_The boy gaped. What was Jimmy doing here? Johnny kneeled down beside Jimmy and held out a hand. The taller flinched violently and backed away from the limb. Johnny quickly pulled it back. Grimacing, Jimmy held his lower back. Johnny took notice and whispered softly, "He's been hitting you again, hasn't he?"_

_Jimmy shook his head, allowing his messy raven fringe to fall in his eyes, "Not this time. It was worse. H-he – he..."_

_Johnny frowned in confusion before he realized what Jimmy was trying to say, "Oh my – Jimmy, did your dad...rape you?"_

_The taller boy nodded pathetically._

The second offense of Jimmy's father was much more awful and disturbing, and Johnny had almost marched down to his house, ready to beat his father bloody with a metal baseball bat. The only thing that stopped him was Jimmy's urging to leave it be.

Johnny jerked back to the present as the preacher began speaking. The piano was still playing softly in the background, accenting his respectful goodbye. The preacher asked for someone to speak for Jimmy, and Johnny stepped up to the microphone without hesitation. He looked over the crowd, seeing close friends and family. No one had a dry face.

"Jimmy was the best of us," he heard murmurs of agreement. "He was kind, crazy, fun, and passionate about what he loved; Jimmy was a beautiful person, both in body and in mind. And he was stolen from us. A man by the name of Joseph Sullivan ripped our best friend; our brother out of our lives forever, in the worst way possible. The saying 'Good things come with a price' certainly reigns true under these circumstances. Jimmy acted as though his life were perfect in the way he helped others, though his life at home was anything but. Jimmy put up with abuse _every day_ after his mother died, but he still found a way to put a smile on everyone's face," Johnny paused to sniffle. "He truly was the strongest man I know."

Many people were sobbing quietly. Johnny, himself, was fighting tears.

"Jimmy was a victim. A victim of abuse, a victim of rape, and a victim of murder. I pray every night that suffering no longer plagues Jimmy, wherever he is now. He never deserved it."

Everyone clapped, and Johnny climbed off of the podium. Jimmy's song started playing again, and only then did he notice that his speech had captured _everyone's_ attention. Now, they all looked to the casket, ebony with silver lining. It began lowering into the prepared ground, courtesy of Matt and Jason Berry, twin brothers and friends of everyone at the service.

Soon, Jimmy was totally gone; secured stably in the earth. Johnny was silently distraught. _How do I move on? We were closer than brothers; he won't be forgotten. Never in a million years._

Johnny went home alone that night. He wanted to grieve privately. He wanted to deny that Jimmy was gone at all, but the truth was inevitable, and he eventually allowed despair and sorrow to wash him away.

One phrase regularly circulated through his thoughts as he attempted to recover and regain his life; to retain his sanity. Sometimes he would whisper it, and other times he found himself screaming it toward the sky. And every once in a while, he could almost feel Jimmy watching over him and would tell the presence with a sad smile on his face, "I'm missing you."


	9. Tonight the World Dies

**A/N: **This chapter is supposed to take place in a Skyrim-type setting. It's been floating around in my head for a while, even before I got to this chapter. I'm hoping it turned out all right. I've been dishing out mostly angsty chapters lately (can I even say lately? How long has it been since I updated?), but I'm thinking of breaking the streak with the next one. ;) (Le gasp! Foreshadowing?) Sorry for the long wait, and I hope you all enjoy this one!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.

**Dead Punk-** I'd like to say I'm sorry for making you cry, but that was the point of that chapter, lol. I'm glad you liked it despite the tears. :) I hope this lives up to your expectations as well!

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><p><strong>Tonight the World Dies<strong>

The night was dark; darker than anyone in the land had experienced before. The absence of light dominated everything. Brightly lit rooms seemed dimmer, early sleepers' sweet dreams became horrifying nightmares, and shadows seemed to become almost palpable. A grim silence swept over the land, dread filling the minds of those still awake.

Something was wrong.

Bartholomew bolted awake from a terrible dream. He flinched at the dark of his bedroom, feeling like it was grabbing at him with harsh hands. His wife, Meredith, was still, staring at him with wide eyes. The dream hadn't woken him up.

"Should we check on him?"

His son's scream had.

It wasn't a rare occurrence. More often than not, Gage was plagued by night terrors. He didn't often scream, so it worried his parents when he did. The morning after, he would look pale, and gaunt, and scared.

Bartholomew nodded to Meredith's question, and the two quickly headed to their son's room. Gage was thrashing about in his cot, flailing his arms and kicking his feet. Bartholomew was by him in an instant, shaking the boy gently. Gage's movements slowed, but did not stop. Shouting to him, Bartholomew pinned his arms down. He felt fear and shock run thick through his veins, then a wave of relief when Gage's movements ceased, and his eyes opened.

"Gage!" Meredith cried. She embraced her son and began sobbing into his night shirt. She hated seeing his terrors.

Bartholomew placed a light hand on Gage's shoulder. He was silent for a moment, then spoke with a tentative voice, "Son, this is the third time this week. Are you sure there is nothing wrong?"

Gage didn't speak. He only lowered his eyes to his lap, and fiddled with his sheet.

Bartholomew sighed, "Gage, we're worried about you. Won't you at least tell us what plagues your sleep?"

Gage looked up, thoughtful, but then his gaze wandered over his father's shoulder and he cried out in warning.

Bartholomew turned too late; he was shoved roughly onto the wooden floor. Meredith screamed. Gage grabbed for the small knife Bartholomew had passed down to him from his own father, and thrust it at the attacker. It met its mark, and Bartholomew twisted around to see it pass right through the body.

The room became motionless. In his fright, Gage had dropped the blade and it had landed behind the attacker, who had not a scratch. The creature, for it was not human at all, gave a guttural chuckle, breaking the tense silence. '_Shadow_' was all that Bartholomew could comprehend. And that is what it was; a walking shadow with black mist wrapping lazily around it's slim body, sharp, bared teeth gleaming in the darkness, and evil red eyes glaring spitefully at the family.

Things were a flurry of movement as the shadow lunged for Gage, Meredith covered him protectively, and Bartholomew reached for the fallen blade. It seemed to thrum happily in his grip, and the metal of the knife began to glow. The shadow snapped its feral gaze onto Bartholomew, and backed away in fear. It began speaking in an ancient tongue, seeming to fade away. Though Bartholomew only spoke his native tongue, he understood every word this demon spoke. It was begging him to put the knife down (the knife that was, in fact, currently shining a bright white) and spare its life.

Bartholomew went against his better judgment and grabbed the creature. He held the knife against its neck and told Meredith to get a chair and some ropes. Soon the shadow was tied up, and Bartholomew was pacing in front of it. Meredith and Gage sat on the couch a few feet away. Finally, Bartholomew found words.

"What are you?"

The creature avoided his question, and instead pleaded with a deep, growling accented voice, "Please, _Lux Vates_! Spare me! I meant you no true harm!"

Bartholomew slapped the shadow across the face, surprised that the blow even landed. He knew what the creature had called him; "light seer". What did that mean?

"I asked what you were!"

The shadow whimpered pathetically. "I am _Mortem Umbra_," Death shadow. "child of darkness."

"Your _n_-_name_ is _Mortem Umbra?_" Gage shakily asked.

The shadow shook its head, "No. I am one of many. It is my race."

One of many. That could be a problem.

"Why did you call me _Lux Vates_ earlier?" Bartholomew demanded.

The _Umbra_ looked uncomfortable, "Because you are our nemesis; the only one who holds the power to destroy us as we rise to power. You have the blade, and it shines for you."

Bartholomew looked at his hand, and quickly dropped the still-shining knife. The second it left his grip its light began fading.

"The blade will only shine for _Lux Vates_," the _Umbra_ murmured. It seemed a lot more at ease with the knife out of his grasp. Much too at ease, it seemed. The _Umbra_ ripped out of its bonds with a finesse that left Bartholomew wondering if it had been the blade keeping it in place. Without thinking, he picked up said blade. It lit up much quicker, and it seemed to glow brighter when he threw it at the escaping _Umbra_. The knife hit and the shadow dropped to it's knees and screeched in agony. Meredith and Gage covered their ears, wincing at the sheer volume of the scream. The family watched as the _Umbra's_ body became more concrete and began cracking away in pieces, like a boiled egg. Soon the creature was no more, and in its place was a quickly dissipating mist.

Bartholomew collapsed heavily onto the couch. He was confused and exhausted, and he wanted this to be a dream. But he knew it wasn't. Reality wasn't that convenient. Wife and son rushed over to him, leading him to his bedroom. When he sat on his bed, he looked up at his family, completely baffled.

"I am _Lux Vates_," he muttered. He kept repeating it like a mantra, his voice growing with each verse. His family waited with him; scared, but loyal. Finally, it died down, and he spoke only occasionally. "I am...Seer of Light...Light Seer..._Lux_..._Vates_." Bartholomew had drifted to sleep.

It was then that the other two let themselves feel. They both broke into tears; shock, confusion, and fear clouding their thoughts. There were more of these..._Mortem Umbra_, or so the shadow claimed and Bartholomew was the only one able to destroy them. What did that mean for the future? Would humans have to live in fear for the rest of their existence, if he wasn't able to stop them all? That thought alone kept the two in hysterics, and they prayed desperately that the future would conceive another _Lux Vates_.

x x x

"Ow, damn it!"

"_Deus_, why does it have to be so _dark_, of all things?"

"Ooph! What did we land in?"

Three figures stumbled out from a large (and most definitely flattened) bush. They stood still for a moment, catching their bearings and surveying the land.

"Well, doesn't this look familiar," the tallest chuckled. He studied the bush they had landed on, and looked up at the tree looming over them. Apparently the portal above threaded through to the old oak, and the bush was there to provide a soft landing.

The tallest returned to his companions, and watched as they checked their weapons. "Remember," he said softly, "the objective is to get in and get out as quickly as possible. We sneak into their camp, take out the captain, and get back to the portal before they realize what's happened."

The shortest of the three frowned, "Jimmy, what happens if we're compromised?"

Jimmy's voice was serious, "Abandon the mission. This is a _very_ risky task. No one has dared entered an _Umbra_ camp before, with good reason. If we're compromised, Johnny, I don't want either of you getting hurt."

The last man quickly interjected, "That is a risk of our occupation. _You_ are the one that matters, Jimmy. If you are captured or killed, our cause will be futile. The _Umbra_ will have no one stop them as they desecrate our world."

Johnny nodded fervently, "Matt's right. You are the key to our victory, Jimmy. _Deus_ knows we would keep you away from offensive missions if we could."

Jimmy smiled sadly at his companions, his friends, "I shall not see you two die if I can help it."

Jimmy inwardly cursed the existence of the _Mortem Umbra_. Centuries had past since their birth, but the destruction left in their wake only got worse. There was only one man in every generation who held the power to stop this evil, and he was considered the most precious being in the world. _Lux Vates_. The trait had run through Jimmy's family many times in the past, and now he had it, as well.

When Jimmy was born, his gift was immediately recognized. He was treated with extra care until he was old enough to understand this gift. All the people of the Avenged clan took part in his training, and soon he had the skills of almost everyone in the clan. For his age, he was very mature, responsible, and wise. When a surprise _Umbra_ attack ended in the death of his mother, he became more reserved and observant. Being valuable had its prices, though; Jimmy was forced to grow up quickly. He was always told there was no time for child's play, only for training and action.

For the most part, Jimmy still believed this notion. Though he liked to relax and have fun, his vendetta against the _Umbra_ pushed him to do everything he could to protect his people. And that desire to protect is what had him on this mission. Avenged hunters had found a portal to the _Umbras'_ world. The creatures were nocturnal, though not by choice. They were unable to survive in sunlight, being formed from shadow, so they had their own dimension where darkness ruled over all. It was fairly easy to access; a secret portal disguised as a bush led straight down into the _Umbras'_ domain. It was only fear that kept the clan members above ground.

Jimmy knocked back an arrow and shot it next to the portal's entrance. "There," he slung his bow over his shoulders. "Now we'll remember which tree to go to."

The three warriors quietly snuck toward the general direction of the _Umbras'_ camp. They had figured on the surface that the creatures would set up camp in the same ravine as the clan did; a small scouting mission revealed that the shadow dimension was a mirror copy of the world above. This made battle plans much easier, for everyone in the clan knew the land.

Before long, the three found the entrance to the camp. They peered around the protective bramble barrier, and saw that it was practically deserted.

"Maybe they sleep during our daytime." Johnny whispered.

Matt furrowed his eyebrows, "Or they learned of our plan, and are raiding our camp as we speak. I told you this was a bad idea!"

Jimmy placed a calming hand on his friend's shoulder, "Calm down, Matt. Johnny's probably right. They can't go in the sunlight anyway."

Matt's fears weren't calmed, however. Even if the _Umbra_ weren't on the surface, the camp was full of them. Sleeping or not, they were surrounded by hostile enemies. But he hesitated only a second before following his comrades into the camp.

The warriors carefully looked at the tents littering the ravine. Each one was made of a delicate, ebony fabric that was indented with stories in picture form. The captain's quarters seemed to be the most decorated, likely because of his long experience as a warrior.

"For shadows, they have class," Matt grudgingly remarked.

Sneaking around the edge of the camp definitely wasn't an option; the tents were backed up to the brambles. They would have to figure out a way through the camp. Fortunately, most of the _Umbra_ were indoors. The humans had no problem crawling over to the biggest tent without being seen.

Jimmy shrugged the tent flaps aside, and glanced around the space. There was little furniture; only a cot, what seemed like a dresser, and a weapon rack. Of course, the furniture that was there was extremely elegant. The bed was made of a dark, supple wood, and the sheets and pillows were a sleek black and red. The dresser seemed to be made out of the same material as the bed frame, and had ornate carvings covering the surface. The weapon rack was filled with swords, daggers, maces, and war axes. Each weapon was made with master technique, and seemed almost too precious for battle. Matt couldn't help but gape at their beauty.

Johnny tentatively touched the corner of one of the sheets. Though he made no sound, a wide smile spread across his lips. _'It's soft!'_ he mouthed to the others.

Jimmy gave a small smile to the younger man, then turned to the sleeping captain. The shadow seemed almost innocent, lying passively before him. He grimly unsheathed his own blade; a dagger that only shone for the _Lux Vates_. It was made with a craftsmanship that easily competed with the _Umbras'._ Taking a bold step forward, Jimmy prepared himself for the next step. Long years of training and experience guided Jimmy's movements as he lifted his arms upward and stabbed down at the captain's throat. He knew that would immediately disable the ability to scream as the light, now sparking out like lighting, tore the _Umbra's_ body apart. Pained red eyes stared up at him as its mouth opened in a silent cry. If the captain wasn't awake before, it definitely was now.

For a few moments, the _Umbra's_ broken body convulsed. Then it grew still and began fading away. Jimmy kneeled, taking a deep breath before sheathing his blade. He looked up at his friends, a relieved smile pulling at his lips. The other two returned the look, letting out sighs of their own. Their plan had worked!

The three heard a gentle flap, and snapped their gazes to the tent opening. A short _Umbra_ stood there with a bucket of swords, staring at them with wide crimson eyes.

The room became motionless. The humans stared at the small creature with growing horror, and gasped when it dropped the bucket and screamed. Continuing to squeal, it ran from the quarters and into the throng of tents.

The camp erupted into action when the three bolted from the captain's quarters. _Umbra_ burst out from their tents, trailing after the humans with raised weapons, and before they could reach the bramble barrier, a wall of _Umbra_ sprinted into their path.

Matt snarled in fury and lashed at a warrior, digging into its side with his sword. It let out a screech before disappearing with a small _poof_. It wasn't dead, but it would be a while before it reappeared in the dimension. He looked behind him and saw his comrades in combat as well. Jimmy was swinging his blade around, killing several _Umbra_ with one swipe. Johnny was picking off _Umbra_ from a short distance away. He was standing on a small rock, shooting bursts of arrows at on -comers. Matt gave an exhilarated laugh, and continued his battle.

For a while it seemed like they were winning. Jimmy was wiping them out almost as fast as they were coming, Matt was holding his own in close combat and besting the shadow creatures, and Johnny was picking off _Umbra_ that tried to sneak in a hit.

Then it started.

The short _Umbra_ from before tackled Johnny to the ground, allowing a warrior to land a blow to Matt's head with the butt of his sword. Jimmy cried out to him, and rushed over to his friend. He killed the _Umbra_ trying to get to his body, and took a protective stance over him.

Johnny pushed his attacker off of him, and knocked him over the head with his bow. The _Umbra_ slumped to the ground, and Johnny turned to give Jimmy cover fire.

Matt slowly got to his feet. He glared at the _Umbra_ standing around them, silently daring them to make a move. He knew that he wouldn't be able to fight for very long. His head was pounding, and he felt a slight dizziness make him stumble.

Jimmy sensed this disability, and jerked his gaze to the entrance. "Retreat!"

The impromptu command was met with immediate action. The three humans ran with renewed vigor toward the entrance. They slid through the brambles, and then headed to the forest.

"Get up as fast as you can!" Jimmy yelled. "It's still daytime on the surface; once we're up there we'll be safe!"

Johnny yelled out when he saw Jimmy's arrow. He sprinted toward the tree and quickly climbed up. His body shimmered as he neared the top, and then he was gone.

"Get up there!" Matt called. "You're more val-"

"Just go!" Jimmy snarled. "I'll hold them off."

Matt cast a worried look in his friend's direction, but did as he was told. He reached for the knobs in the wood and was soon gone, too.

Jimmy watched as the horde of _Umbra_ closed in. He curled his lips in a grimace at their numbers, but quickly followed after his comrades. He could hear the pursuit behind him, but his torso was already through the portal and his friends were grinning victoriously at him, and-

A strong hand viciously grabbed at Jimmy's ankle. He gasped in surprise as he was steadily pulled back down. He saw Matt and Johnny rush to him and felt them grab his arms, and struggled desperately to get free.

Another hand joined the first, this time on his other ankle. And another on his calf. It felt like the whole army of _Umbra_ was attempting to pull him back down.

Matt felt white-hot fear pulse through his veins. He pulled harder on Jimmy's wrist, afraid of losing this battle.

Johnny released Jimmy's arm and instead grasped around his torso. "I'm not letting them get you!"

Jimmy used his free hand to grab his dagger. He threw it on the ground behind his friends, and grabbed at the grass. He could feel the cold of the other dimension on his lower half, and yet another hand gripping his leg.

Looking up to Matt, Jimmy let a helpless tear drip down his cheek. "Matt, thank you for being my best friend. You were always there for me when I needed you, even if it was just to help me train. There are only so many words I can use right now, but know that you are my brother."

Matt didn't answer him, but instead gave him a hopeless look.

"Johnny," Jimmy grunted as a sharp tug pulled him a bit further down, "thank you for everything you put up with. I loved having you around to talk with, or to spar with, and know that you are my brother as well."

Johnny sobbed, and his grip wavered.

Jimmy dropped his gaze, even as they attempted to pull him up with a new-found strength. It was no use. There was an army below, and only two of them.

"I'm sorry," Jimmy whispered before a synchronized yank wrenched him underground, and out of the two's grasps.

Matt flew backward while Johnny fell over, and the forest went silent. Johnny recovered first, and pounded on the area where the portal should have been.

"_**NO!**_" he screamed. "He's gone!" Johnny continued smashing at the ground, his small body heaving with heavy, broken sobs.

Matt slowly made his way to Johnny. He was numb. Jimmy was..._gone_. The portal was _gone_. A single tear slipped down Matt's face as he helped Johnny up. He saw Jimmy's blade shimmering on the grass, and leaned down to pick it up. Almost blindly, Matt guided Johnny back to the camp.

People greeted them with joyous faces as they stumbled through the entrance. Matt was still so _numb_. He didn't acknowledge any of the questions or praises that were sent their way.

He watched as a concerned man quickly came over to him. "Matt, are you okay? What happened?"

"Zack..." Matt whispered.

Another man, taller with dark brown hair, hurried over and rested a hand on Zack's back, leaning in to hear. Matt shifted his gaze to the second man. "Brian..."

"The mission w-was...It was successful." Matt offered vaguely. Johnny's sobs had subsided to small whimpers, but returned full force at Matt's explanation.

Zack and Brian glanced at each other worriedly. "That's great."

Matt looked around at his people. The clan knew something was wrong.

"Where's Jimmy?" That was Brian's voice.

He was so _numb_.

Matt remembered when he first met Jimmy. The two had immediately clicked, and were fast friends. Matt understood him, even with his duties and strenuous training. The two hung out as often as possible. Matt remembered the good times: the secret water fights, the friendly spars, the hunting and exploring. And he remembered the bad times: the arguments, the aggravated spars, and the times away from each other.

Matt wished they had more time. Jimmy was so _young_. Why did he have to go? Why wasn't it _him_ instead? He could have tried harder, could have thrown himself into the portal, he could have done _something_. Why did it have to be Jimmy?

Another tear escaped his eye; there was number two. He held out his hand and looked down at the cold blade. It was usually so bright and warm. The crowd gasped in horror. Some people cried out and fell to their knees.

Matt thought carefully about his words. The sun had almost set by now. War cries sounded in the distance, but no one moved. He couldn't say he didn't expect them. There wasn't anyone to destroy the enemy now, only to hold them at bay. Matt figured his choked, blunt words were fitting as the _Umbra_ steadily closed in on the camp.

"Tonight, the world dies."

* * *

><p>Though I left several explanations throughout the chapter, I figure I'll leave translations anyway.<p>

_Mortem Umbra- _Death shadow, shadow of death  
><em>Lux Vates-<em> Light seer, seer of light  
><em>Deus-<em> God


	10. Fiction

**A/N:** Hi! Remember me?**  
><strong>

This is such crap. I'm so sorry. I made you all wait for 10 months (good grief has it been that long already?) for _this. _-facepalm-  
>Seriously, though, I apologize for the long wait - I didn't mean to take this long to update. And the lie that was my last journal? Ehe...I kind of wrote that expecting there wouldn't be a ton of homework...there was. I sowwy.<p>

Anyway, I hope any update at all makes up for something. Sorry again, and I hope this isn't as crap as it seems to be.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avenged Sevenfold. They are the complete proud owners of themselves and their music.

**Dead Punk - **Thank you so much. Seriously, I was proud of the last chapter, but it's still really nice to hear that it isn't absolute crap. I'm really sorry I took so long to update. I don't blame you if you hate me!

**Rev's Little Synner - **I'm sorry Nightmare scared you! Glad you're enjoying the one-shots, though! Thank you so much!

* * *

><p><strong>Fiction<strong>

_Once upon a time, there was a kingdom. Its lands were rich with vegetation and its forests were filled with all manner of beasts – all plump and good for eating. The worn, winding cobblestone paths displayed centuries of use; the rough, flat stones – broken in some places – led up to the royal city of Sidewinder. The king resided there – in the grandiose, supreme domain. He was fair, dealing with his subjects justly, ruling with placid authority, interacting with his people and the land outside of the city walls. The citizens of Sidewinder adored their king, so when trouble entered the kingdom, they turned to their sovereign with helpless, trusting pleas. _

_ To understand this danger better, the king sent out his best men – Sir Matthew, Sir Brian, Sir Zachary, and Sir Jonathan – and received grim news._

_ A basilisk had appeared in the countryside._

_ After a short few days of planning, the king himself and his most trustworthy men bravely rode away on noble white steeds to find the dreaded beast. For several weeks, they scoured the countryside – in every town, every forest, every miniscule crevice of the kingdom. Finally, when they had almost lost hope, they came to a small swamp hidden near Sidewinder's border. Delving into the marshy area, the king quickly came upon a clearing. Sitting in the center, gnawing at the corpse of a boar, was the biggest creature any of the men had seen before. It was clearly a sanguineness basilisk – the stinger at the tip of the beast's tail told them that much – so the men would be able to look at their opponent while they slayed it._

_ The basilisk quickly noticed the king and his men, and stood with a mighty roar. The king shifted toward his men slightly, "Come, brave knights! We shall slay this beast together!" His men shouted their agreement and followed after the king as he drove his horse to the basilisk._

_ The king and his men fought valiantly – weaving around the basilisk's attacks and in turn, striking it with gleaming swords. Soon the beast was bleeding heavily – weak and barely alive. The king swung off of his steed and walked cautiously next to the basilisk. The creature hissed faintly as the king gently set his sword on its neck. He quickly pushed downward; the beast was dead – and out of its misery._

_ Victorious cheers rang throughout the clearing, and the king smiled softly as he climbed back onto his horse. "Congratulations, my knights! We have saved Sidewinder!"_

_ The group traveled back to the city, where all of the townspeople were waiting. When they arrived, the citizens erupted into applause, praising their king for saving them once again. Banners were strung everywhere reading '_Thank you, King James'. The_ king grinned at his people and later celebrated the victory with them, and they lived happily ever after._

"Wow. What a _great_ story. Better give that one a name, a fancy cover, and throw it in a children's library. Nothing ever ends happily ever after in reality. You want something realistic? Read my story."

_A heavy, pounding guitar track vibrated the walls as I cleaned up the mess that was my living room. I bobbed my head to the beat, looking around and approving of what I saw. Good enough._

_ After turning down the music almost all the way, I headed into the kitchen and pulled out a beer. I opened it and took a small sip, sighing in content. Suddenly my front door flew open and four men casually strolled in, laughing and punching each other. I grinned at their appearance, while they whirled around and plopped down onto my couches._

_ "Aw, did you clean up for us, Bri-Bri?" the tall, lanky one asked in a high-pitched voice._

_ I chuckled, "Don't flatter yourself, Jimmy."_

_ "Yeah, Jimbo, he obviously cleaned up for us three," the other tall one commented with a dimpled smirk._

_ Jimmy pouted as the whole group laughed. "You wound me, Matt. Why would you let him do that, Johnny?"_

_ The shortest man in the group shrugged, "Sorry, man. I didn't do it."_

_ I walked over and stood in front of the coffee table, staring at my friends. "Well, shall we?" I asked._

_ The others cheered at the proposal, and raced to the fridge to grab some booze. The party was really started now. The quieted music was changed to metal and turned up again. Soon, we were completely wasted – stumbling around the house drunkenly and engaging in random, pointless conversation. I was sitting on the couch, doing the latter with Jimmy and the last man in our group, Zack._

_ "Zee-man, I really like your hair today," I slurred._

_ Zack giggled and fluffed up his blond-dyed fringe – it had been windblown by a fan earlier in the evening, and he was only making it worse. "Thanks," he replied._

_ Jimmy was sitting back on the couch, snoring lightly, when Matt ran by, carrying Johnny on his broad shoulders, laughing wickedly. He then shot up and sped over to the kitchen counter. He pulled out a pill bottle and popped a couple of pills into his mouth, swallowing them down with a generous swig of alcohol._

_ "Dude, isn't it bad to take meds with booze?" Zack asked. His head was lolling onto my shoulder and his eyes were drooping shut._

_ "Nah," Jimmy answered with a shrug. "It'll wear off soon and I'll be fine."_

_ Zack didn't answer, for he had fallen asleep, but I felt a creeping sense that Jimmy should have waited. I had no chance to act on that, however, because the moment Jimmy sat down again, he flopped onto his side and began snoring. The thought quickly dropped out of my mind, and before I knew it, I was joining my friends in sleep._

_ The next morning, only Zack and I were in the room. I was spread out along the couch, and Zack was half on the floor, half on the couch, cuddling with my legs. I sleepily shoved him off and stood up. After stretching and grabbing a quick drink of water, I set off to find the others. In my room, Matt was laying upside down on my bed. The blankets had been stripped off, but the sheets were still on, albeit very rumpled and messy. Moving to the guest bedroom, I found Johnny lying on the floor, curled into a tight ball and murmuring in his sleep. I shook my head fondly and went to the bathroom. There, I stopped dead in my tracks._

_ Jimmy was lying in a pool of blood that was spread out across most of the floor. He was pale and sweaty, and I couldn't see his chest moving. I ignored the blood completely in my haste to reach my friend, rushing to his side and pushing his damp hair back; he was extremely warm. I felt for a pulse, and found a faint beat. Slightly reassured, I yelled for someone. _

_ Matt ran to the door and his eyes widened when he saw the mess. "Call 911!" I shouted desperately. My heart was racing and adrenalin was pulsing through me, but there wasn't much I could do except wet a washcloth and set it on Jimmy's forehead. Matt nodded with a disturbed look and dashed back to the kitchen. I could hear him as he practically yelled into the receiver. The other two were awake now, too, frantically asking Matt questions._

_ I felt sick to my stomach. Was Jimmy going to survive? I felt for a pulse again, and my blood ran cold – I couldn't find it._

"See? _This_ is reality. Things like this happen _every damn day._"

"Maybe you should tell them the rest of the story, Brian."

"…Fine."

_The emergency crew arrived swiftly and immediately attended to Jimmy. I was ushered away and the police asked for a detailed explanation. I told them about the night before and the discovery of this morning. The officers tried to reassure me, but I saw the paramedics taking Jimmy away in a stretcher, and my heart stuttered in its rhythm._

_ "Please tell me he's gonna be okay," I whispered melancholy. Johnny patted my shoulder softly, and I grasped onto it, desperate for any comfort. Zack was crying silently next to me._

_ "We can't be sure until the hospital gets a chance to properly analyze the problem, Mister Haner. However, I assure you that they will do everything in their power to insure that he lives."_

_ Feeling hopeless, I nodded but didn't say anything. That wasn't the answer I was looking for at all. _

_ The police left soon after that, leaving the four of us in my living room. For several hours, we sat in silence, when finally I announced that I was sorry._

_ Sniffling, Matt asked, "Why?"_

_ "I could have stopped him last night," I said. "This is all my fault."_

_ Zack shook his head furiously, "No, it isn't; I was there! There's nothing you can do to prevent Jimmy from doing something when he's determined, you know that."_

_ Still, my stomach wouldn't stop churning. My whole being felt empty, hollow. I felt like I had somehow let Jimmy – and the others – down. I could have prevented this somehow, I just knew it._

_ Another long silence filled the room until Matt cleared his throat heavily, "Maybe we should head down to the emergency room; see how he's doing."_

_ Reluctantly, we all agreed. The emergency room was only a few miles away, so several minutes later we were climbing out of Matt's pickup and walking numbly into the lobby._

_ "Hello, sirs," a cheery young lady greeted at the front desk. "What can I do for you?"_

_ With a gruff voice, Matt said quietly, "We're here to see the synopsis of Jimmy Sullivan."_

_ The woman typed something into her computer, before confirming, "James?" Matt nodded and she looked back up at him. "It appears he is just down the hall to your right in room 17. He is accepting visitors."_

_ We thanked her and rushed off to said room. Cautiously opening the door, we stepped in and examined our friend. He wasn't as pale, and I could see he was breathing. A wave of relief shot through me, and I practically sagged against the door. Zack helped me over to Jimmy's side. Close up, he seemed even healthier, though he was sweating a little bit. _

_ The door opened again, and a doctor walked in with a clipboard. "Ah," he exclaimed, "you must be Mister Sullivan's friends. I'm Doctor Kennedy." He walked closer to Jimmy, so I moved. "He is very lucky you called the police when you did. If you had waited half an hour more, he wouldn't be here with us." We all let out a breath of relief at that. "Evidently, when his body was trying to purge the excess drugs from itself, a few blood vessels ruptured in his throat and caused internal bleeding. The bleeding was slow and non-severe, so we quickly patched it up. We pumped his stomach and he's getting a blood transfusion as we speak."_

_ Johnny, who was standing on Jimmy's left side, spoke softly, "Thank you, Doctor. We would have been devastated beyond belief if-"_

_ "No need to thank me," Doctor Kennedy interrupted. Johnny sent him a thankful smile, and even I was grateful. I would never have been able to get the words "Jimmy" and "died" out. "We did our job, saved a life, and brought him back to his family – that is the biggest reward we could have gotten." With that, Kennedy took his leave. _

_The door shut quietly as we all stared down at Jimmy's sleeping form. "I'm so glad he's alive," Zack murmured. I agreed internally, but couldn't say anything aloud. My throat was closed up and tears were welling in my eyes; it was all I could do to keep from sobbing, in happiness and sadness. Pressure in my gut kept me from feeling truly happy, though. This was still my fault._

_For several hours, we stayed by Jimmy's bedside and spoke to him. Whether he could hear us or not, we didn't care. Around midnight – when visiting hours were technically over (Doctor Kennedy gave us an exception) – Matt and Zack went home. Johnny and I stayed, though. Johnny fell asleep, but I kept talking to Jimmy. _

"_I am so sorry, Jimmy," I whispered to his still form. I was crying again – as I had been off and on for several hours. "You were so drunk…all that alcohol must have heightened the effects of your meds. I could have stopped you, prevented this from happening. I'm so sorry." I dropped my head onto the white cotton sheets on the bed._

_After a moment, a faint voice answered me, "I forgive you." I looked up to see Jimmy's bright blue eyes open and staring at me tiredly. "You really didn't do anything wrong, though, Brian," he continued. "None of us were in our right minds. It's not your fault I did something stupid. Besides, the doctors fixed me up and I'm fine now."_

"_What's to stop it from happening again?" I asked tentatively._

"_Nothing, I guess," he answered with a weak shrug. "I just need to plan ahead of time when we plan to get wasted." _

_I nodded, and the pressure in my gut began to dissipate. Jimmy smiled at me affectionately and opened his arms a little for a hug. Without hesitating, I swooped down and hugged him tight. The pressure was gone now – I was forgiven._

"Okay, fine. There _are_ happy endings, I admit it. But you weren't so sure for a while, were you? Many stories in life have sad endings, like this one could have had, and I still can't say we lived happily ever after. But…we were close."

* * *

><p>Okay, I <em>promise<em> to get Save Me out soon! No slacking!


End file.
